John Tesh says: Your Workplace Is Crawling With Germs

John Tesh is on Jewel 92.5 with – Intelligence for your life – all sorts of advice such as: Did you realize that Your workplace is crawling with germs, and not just in the men’s room. Here are a few of biggest workplace germ magnets:

#1: Coffee pot handles. They’re handled so often, studies show they contain more bacteria than a toilet seat. It’s the same for other break room hot spots we handle: faucets, sinks, microwaves, and refrigerators.

Workplace germ farm #2: Conference rooms. Unlike bathrooms, which are regularly scrubbed with disinfectant, meeting rooms rarely get cleaned and they contain tables and chairs that are routinely touched by people who’ve been eating, shaking hands, and sharing the conference room phones.

#3 is your desk. Studies show that most desk areas are filled with fungus and parasites, as well as the viruses and bacteria that cause colds and flu, and are 400 times germier than, you guessed it, a toilet seat!

And last at #4: massive numbers of germs collect on elevator buttons and escalator rails.

But all is not lost: practice good personal hygiene! That means, wash your hands often, and lather up with hot water and soap for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the bathroom, and before eating. If you’re not near a sink, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Also: If you’re sick, stay home. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that companies lose $150 billion in sick days because of people who go to work sick.